Maharashtra proposes amendment to bring land defaulters relief

In order to bring some relief to hundreds of landholders whose lands were attached for non-payment of arrears of land revenue, the state government is going to table a bill in the ongoing Assembly session. The bill has proposed the amendment of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, which will allow owners of land to claim it by paying arrears before the state sells it to recover the dues.

Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil who has signed the draft of the bill amendment said, “It is to give the concerned landholders one last opportunity to claim back their attached land before it is sold for recovery of the government dues.” He further said, “It is considered expedient to amend the said section 182, so as to provide such landholders an option to get back their land after paying the outstanding amount along with interest as per the prevailing orders of the government and the penal amount prescribed therefore.”

The amendment to section 182 of the code was tabled in the state Assembly this week. At present the section provides for the power of the collector to attach the land of defaulters and to take it under management, or adopt any other processes specified for recovery of arrears of land revenue as deemed fit.

After the amendment, the landholders will get an option to get the attached land back on payment of the dues with interest. The amendment also contains various provisions regarding levy of the land revenue, conversion tax, fee, penalty etc. “The person aggrieved by such orders can go for an appeal before the appellate authority. These authorities then pass interim orders granting stay on recovery of the amount. It is also noticed that on various occasions such appeals, revision or review applications are filed with a view to avoiding or delaying the payment due to the government as per the orders of revenue authorities,” said the draft.